The Mortal Kombat franchise has a long history of experimenting with new game modes. These experiments have led to some iconic creations over the years, ranging from the Mario Kart-like Motor Kombat, to the surprisingly complex Chess Kombat. But not all of Mortal Kombat‘s experiments have been worth the effort, and that’s how some fans view Mortal Kombat 1‘s Invasions mode.
On paper, Mortal Kombat 1‘s Invasions mode sounds like a solid addition to the fighting game franchise, with its board game structure incentivizing repeat playthroughs by rewarding players with unique cosmetics. But in reality, Invasions has been a bit of a mixed bag, with its repetitive gameplay and lackluster RPG mechanics dragging the mode down. But Invasions isn’t the first time Mortal Kombat has experimented with RPG mechanics, and it might be time for developer NetherRealm to revisit that concept.
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The Next Mortal Kombat Should Bring Back Konquest Mode
A Brief History of Mortal Kombat’s Konquest Mode
First introduced in 2002’s Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, Konquest mode’s original form was essentially an extended tutorial mode that saw players control each of the game’s fighters in a series of battles that required the player to complete specific objectives. Though this initial variant of Konquest mode was a solid addition to the franchise, it’s the subsequent iterations that fans remember fondly.
2004’s Mortal Kombat: Deception is widely considered to be home to the best version of the series’ Konquest mode. Deception‘s Konquest mode is an ambitious RPG that features a unique storyline. Players take control of the young warrior Shujinko, who sets off on a quest to defeat Shang Tsung. Along the way, Shujinko must prove himself by defeating a bevy of beloved Mortal Kombat characters.
In between major fights in Mortal Kombat: Deception‘s Konquest mode, players can complete optional side quests and explore environments to find glowing chests, both of which will reward the player with Koins and special keys that can be used in the game’s Krypt mode to unlock collectibles.
Konquest’s final appearance came in 2006 with the release of Mortal Kombat: Armageddon. This version of Konquest swapped out the RPG gameplay style of its predecessor in favor of a classic action-adventure game structure that saw players make their way through 3D levels. While this version of Konquest was fun, and its collectible Relic system was very rewarding, many fans preferred the gameplay style of Deception‘s Konquest mode.
Konquest Is Exactly The Type of Mode Mortal Kombat Needs Now
While the last few Mortal Kombat story modes have been thoroughly entertaining, they are starting to feel a little paint-by-numbers, with every entry since Mortal Kombat 2011 following the same formula of showing players a cinematic, throwing them into a fight, repeat. Some fans want a bit more meat on the bones of their Mortal Kombat story, and a new iteration of Konquest could offer exactly that, especially if it used Deception‘s mode as a basis.
Back in March 2023, Chief Creative Officer of NetherRealm, Ed Boon, hosted a poll on Twitter that asked fans what side mode they’d like to see come back to
Mortal Kombat
. Konquest won the poll with 44% of the votes.
A new version of Mortal Kombat: Deception‘s Konquest mode has a lot of potential. If it’s done right, a new version of Konquest could give players a sprawling open-world adventure set across Mortal Kombat‘s different realms. This would allow NetherRealm to continue putting a focus on story while giving fans a new type of gameplay experience.
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